Stand By Me
by KattxBrat
Summary: A very short fic about Lu Bu beginning his plan to turn against Dong Zhuo. Yet he is hesitate to act...will Diao Chan fight with him, or against him? Lu Bu/Diao Chan


Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used in this story. This is purely for written entertainment purposes. All rights are reserved to Koei.   
  
Author's Note: I have not posted a story in quite a while, so I thought this would be a good come-back.  
  
Stand By Me  
  
A warrior without equal, a man of inhuman strength, and now a traitor with penchant for betrayal. How could he tell Diao Chan? Would she help him and continue to fight by his side, or would she remain with the greedy despot, Dong Zhuo? Though Lu Bu hardly showed any emotion save for his war cry in battle, Lu Bu could not continue to serve under a dog who had created a reign of terror. At Hu Lao Gate, he had slain all that had stood in his "master's" way, and sent the Allied Forces back with broken dreams and crushed hope for a more peaceful kingdom.   
  
If he went out with his plan, all would be against…even her? His beautiful enchantress?  
  
Diao Chan walked through the doorway of the throne room, carrying her harp in her arms after having played for Dong Zhuo all through the afternoon. She wanted only to spend her time in the beautiful day outside, but for the past three weeks she had been forced to remain indoors. It was no use trying to go outside now; she was never allowed to leave the palace after the sun had set. She decided to return to her room, possibly to read over a few manuscripts when she stopped in her tracks and froze. She found the mighty warrior, his ax-like spear resting against the wall beside him, leaning on the rail overlooking the Sakura Garden, his expression making her to believe he was deep in thought. Diao Chan had seen Lu Bu like this many times now for the past fortnight, but he seemed different somehow…like he was…sad?  
  
That was silly indeed. What could Lu Bu be sad about? He was Dong Zhuo's most elite warrior and had been given the riches of a king. Perhaps he was not satifised? That would explain it, though Diao Chan didn't care much for the thought...  
  
She thought to leave him alone in his thoughts and continued walking. She was about to turn around the opposite corner when she heard Lu Bu call out.  
  
"Diao Chan. Did he finally let you go?"  
  
She stopped again and turned to look over her shoulder. Her voice low, feeling slightly tired, replied, "He fell asleep."  
  
The corner of Lu Bu's mouth drew thin, his back still facing Diao Chan. "Were you able to go outside at all today?"  
  
Now Diao Chan was clearly surprised. Never before had Lu Bu show any concern towards her, much less how her day was spent. Then again, why should he ask? Everyone knew that the enchantress was a mere play thing of entertainment for the emperor of terror. "No, I did not."  
  
When Lu Bu remained silent and unmoving, she thought he had gone back to his train of thought. What exactly was he thinking? She found out than, much to her shock, when he said, "How can you stand being that pig's little toy day in and day out? Its disgusting the way how he treats you."  
  
He had spoken the truth, though he had used much more milder terms of what he really thought. Yet it would have been crude to speak in such terms in front of a lady, especially Diao Chan.   
  
Since when did he become a gentleman?  
  
Having no answer to defend herself, she instead asked her own question. "How is it you can serve under him day in and day out, Lu Bu? He uses you as much as I, though it is you who must do all the dirty work for him."  
  
Realizing what she had said, she gasped and held her breath, afraid she might have angered him. She had seen him throw a man against the wall who had merely stood in his way. What would he say—or do—to her?  
  
She did not see the small smile curl up on his lips, or felt the same wave of relief wash over him.   
  
"Diao Chan…"  
  
"Yes?" she replied, all too quickly in a high-pitched manner.  
  
"What if…what if you could go out there, everyday, whenever you wanted to play your harp under the Sakura trees? To roam wherever you wished without having to come back to your master like a dog? What if…you no longer had a master?"  
  
His voice was deeply low and husky, Diao Chan never having heard such a calm, mild tone from him before. Several seconds later, his words functioned through her mind, and she began walking closer to him. "What do you mean, Lu Bu?"  
  
He turned than, hearing her footsteps drawing her nearer to him. "I mean…"  
  
Could he say it? Would she understand? It was clear as day now she felt the same way as he, but was it strong enough to agree what he was planning to do? Would she be willing to stand by his side and fight with him?  
  
"Lu Bu?" She called out his name when he no longer spoke. The sun, a blazing orb of fire was directly behind him, giving him the aura of an awesome force, radiating a golden power off of him. His eyes were bright looking into hers, and his amour seemed to shine like red and yellow fire.   
  
"Will you fight to be freed from the chaos?"  
  
Truly, she had not heard him right? What Diao Chan had thought an impossible dream; Lu Bu had pulled it out from her mind and made it into a reality?   
  
"Turn against...Dong Zhuo?" she asked, for it was all she could manage to say. Her eyes were locked with his, she so fragile looking compared to massive height and strength, felt some of that aura wash over her.  
  
He held out a hand to her, seeing the look in her eyes. "Yes. Together."  
  
She dropped the harp she had been clutching onto with all her might, never realizing it until she felt the strain lessen and the weight fall from her hands, from her shoulders, a burden diminishing before her very mind. She took his hand than, and again found herself surprised when he pulled her close and embraced her. Through all that armor, she felt his warmth, and through that mask made of stone covering his face, she saw a man who was not filled with anger, who was not filled for thirst for blood of battle, nor a man who wanted no more to be tied down than she did.   
  
"Yes. Together." 


End file.
